Planning Sober Summers With an Outpatient Rehab in Greenwich

Planning Sober Summers With an Outpatient Rehab in Greenwich

This entry was posted in Alcohol Abuse on by .

The summer months bring warm weather, abundant outdoor activities, and plenty of opportunities to enjoy your time with friends and family. Yet, in early recovery, summer can also bring back memories of drinking, substance use, and other triggers. Starting treatment at an outpatient rehab in Greenwich can help you stay sober through the summer and learn to enjoy your summer activities again.

Why Summer Can Be Challenging for Recovery

Summer is often a triggering season for people who are new to living a life in sobriety. Drug and alcohol use typically rises in the summer,1 particularly among young people and college students.

Most people with substance use disorders have specific triggers for their substance use. Triggers, in terms of substance use disorders, are certain events, objects, people, or places that trigger a desire to use substances once again.2

These triggers could include:

  • A summer party
  • Going to a summer concert
  • Vacationing with friends and family
  • Airports
  • Places where you’ve used drugs and alcohol in the past

If you aren’t prepared to deal with these triggers, summer fun can quickly lead to cravings, temptation, and, ultimately, relapse.

Of course, a life in recovery shouldn’t be dictated by your past substance use. You can stay sober through the summer, enjoy the warmer months, and gain confidence in overcoming triggers and cravings. You need to take a few extra steps to plan a sober summer.

How to Plan a Sober Summer

Planning a sober summer requires balancing the things you need to do to maintain your recovery and the summer activities you don’t want to miss. With a bit of consideration, you can still have a great vacation, go to a fantastic barbecue, and enjoy the warm weather with your friends.

Keep Up With Recovery Activities

The first step for a successful sober summer is keeping up with the treatment options that help you maintain your sobriety. This looks different for everyone but could include things such as:

  • Meeting with a therapist
  • Participating in group therapy
  • Keeping up with an exercise routine
  • Attending 12-step support groups
  • Practicing meditation
  • Participating in an extended care program

Whatever you’ve found helps you maintain your sobriety, resist cravings, and keep your mental health in top shape, which is essential to sustain during a sober summer.

Don’t let your summer plans get in the way of your treatment plan.

Build a Sober Support Network

A sober support system can be a precious tool in a sober summer. Having friends who support your sobriety, hold you accountable, and share your enthusiasm for recovery can serve you in several ways during the summer months.

For example, if you want to attend a summer barbecue where people may be drinking, bringing a sober friend along with you can help you stay committed to your recovery. If you feel uncomfortable or are experiencing cravings, they’ll be there to support you and help you make the right decisions.

There are dozens of ways to build a sober support network. An alumni group from your addiction treatment program may be a great place to meet sober friends. Alternatively, you could look for sober sports leagues, 12-step groups, or activity-focused social clubs to expand your network of like-minded individuals.

Check In With Your Recovery

Certain summer activities can be high-risk for people new to recovery. For example, if you’re going to a summer concert or festival, the triggers and temptations may be too much if you haven’t developed strong coping skills and strategies to overcome them.

In these situations, checking in with your recovery beforehand is always important. Before going to the concert, ask yourself if you’re confident that you’ll be able to avoid drinking alcohol or are comfortable with leaving if cravings hit.

You can use this skill in nearly any situation, but it’s essential in a sober summer. For instance, by asking yourself what your true intentions are for going to a party, you can determine whether it’s simply too much for you at this stage in the recovery process.

How an Outpatient Rehab in Greenwich Can Help

Suppose you’re struggling to stay sober during the summer. Or, you feel like you need additional support to plan a sober summer successfully. The Connecticut Center for Recovery’s outpatient rehab in Greenwich can help in that case.

Our team has specific treatment modalities designed to help you resist relapse, maintain your progress in recovery, and build the essential support networks and coping strategies to help you thrive.

Our outpatient rehab in Greenwich has several levels of care to cater to your exact needs. From day treatment options to intensive outpatient and extended care programs, our team has everything you need to help make your sober summer as good as possible.

Start Treatment at the Connecticut Center for Recovery Today

When you’re ready to start drug and alcohol treatment, call the Connecticut Center for Recovery or enter your information into our online contact form for more information. Achieving addiction recovery can be a lifelong process. But our team is here to provide you with all the tools you need to get sober, stay sober, and thrive in your new sober life.

 

Sources:

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7080950/

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7186308/

About Alexis Ecoff

Alexis earned both a B.S. in Psychology and a B.S. in Family and Child Sciences from Florida State University and an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego. She holds licenses in Marriage and Family Therapy in Florida, Connecticut, and Massachusetts and is also a member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). Alexis works with families, couples, children, and groups and also has a sub-specialty in addiction and recovery. She utilizes an integrated, systemic approach to counseling; empowering people to define what is not working for them in their lives and to discover the possibilities for making life work. In doing this, clients are guided towards identifying their strengths, accessing their resources, tapping into their potential for success, and taking action toward achieving their desired goals. Alexis also has extensive experience in the administration of behavioral health organizations. She has developed, built, and supervised several facilities encompassing all levels of care while leading them through state licensing and The Joint Commission accreditation process.